


Motionless

by Godsliltippy



Category: Thunderbirds
Genre: Fischler Industries is the worst (best), Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:48:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 19,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25879183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Godsliltippy/pseuds/Godsliltippy
Summary: One can never expect a rescue mission to go smoothly when Langstrom Fischler is involved. Gordon knows this and yet, that information does him no good when lives are at stake and it's his job to get everyone out safely.
Comments: 37
Kudos: 55





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was an idea Madamewinter and I had a whiiiiile back! I hope y'all enjoy it!

It wasn't often that Scott found himself a glorified taxi driver, leaving that job to Virgil's bigger and more equipped Thunderbird, but he could honestly say it was an interesting experience. He didn't have to glance back to know Gordon was reviewing the schematics of the facility or that his little brother had that intensity he wore when presented with a challenge. He himself had to admit, the mission was a complicated and dangerous one that demanded expertise in the water. Part of him wished he could be more useful, if only to keep his brother out of harm's way if he could help it. 

And with who lay at the center of this rescue, the chances that it could go south only increased. 

"You're coming up on Fischler's hydro-energy facility," John's call came through as the coordinates appeared on his screen. "The crew have relocated to the center observation unit for extraction, but the ring is still spinning out of control."

The astronaut had explained most of the science to them en route, Brains listening in with silent furry towards the engineer responsible. Scott picked up on some of the more important points, like how Fischler had created his own ocean current under the Arctic ice. How it was used to make the ring of his mobile hydro-energy plant rotate and generate clean, renewable energy. Why did all of his ideas have to sound so worthwhile yet be so incredibly terrible when implemented? 

The lack of safety protocols had led to the facility crew being unable to slow the ring and, in turn, the energy build up was approaching critical. The man hadn't learned his lessons about escape pods, either, resulting in the need for Gordon to enter the flooded access lift with his exo-suit in order to rescue everyone. At least, Scott would be given the job of hauling each person up into One after they'd been placed in the portable rescue gear. 

"FAB, bring Thunderbird 1 into position," Scott offered as the rocket slowed it's descent over the small platform. As soon as they touched down, Gordon was up, pulling on the dense plating of the deep sea exo-suit. The commander had only imagined the look of determination, but seeing it on his brother's face now left him feeling a little more at ease. Gordon had this handled. "I'll get the retrieval suits and airlock ready."

"FAB," amber eyes flashed with the grin, the rest of the suit attaching with the mechanical help. "Johnny, everyone still ready and waiting?"

Scott didn't have to stay in order to l hear the response, their brother coming through their open comms with an affirmative response. 

"Good, let them know when I get down there, they'll be coming up one at a time," Gordon instructed. "The portable hatch isn't going to hold more than two and I don't want them waiting in the flooded area while I get everyone else suited up." 

"FAB," and John was off to do their little brother's bidding. 

It was a bit unnerving - and somewhat refreshing - not being in charge of a rescue. All of his brothers were very capable, especially in their elements, and Scott found himself wanting to see them in action more often. That would certainly give Virgil a break from the fish.

By the time he had everything set up by the lift entrance, Gordon was jumping from Thunderbird 1 with the large, retractable disk that served as a pressurized hatch when one wasn't available. In the full exo-suit, the blonde's movements were exaggerated and 'fish out of water' sent a slight, dimpled grin over the commander's face. "All set. Think you can handle the retrieval cable?"

A beaming smile that hinted at a bit of overconfidence that Gordon too often wore, "Of course! Easy-peasy, let you know when I hit bottom." He was already linking the hatch to the cable, pushing it and the suits through the gaping hole where the lift should have been. "Should be a five minute trip down. Glad this thing is close to the surface. Could you imagine if Fischler had put it a couple miles down? Talk about a rescue that would take all day!"

Scott didn't need to or want to imagine that. The longer they were around the scientist's creations, the greater the potential for a larger disaster, "Alright, Fish, get swimming."

With a chuckle and solute, Gordon jumped in, disappearing into the water below and leaving Scott to monitor the gradual extension of the cable - the one physical link he had with his brother.

OoOoOoO

Gordon could think of a million places more peaceful to be descending into, but there was still a sense of comfort within the cold waters. The pull of it over the exo-suit was so familiar that he could overlook the deep shadows that swirled through the dead structure. As dangerous as the ocean could be, it was merely an innocent victim to the mishap of a fool-hearty idea. Exploration demanded respect. Control yielded destruction. No one could command her currents, her progression through life on this planet. It was mostly hers, anyway, offering him so much to discover. 

Hand tightening around the cable as he went, Gordon eyed the gash across metal as he passed it, noting it as the probable source of the flooding. It was a mangled hazard, but not one that would hinder the rescue. The crew would be more than able to glide by it without much danger. It had already done its worst. 

"Gordon?" Scott's tone was calm, but he could picture the strain pinching at the corners of his brother's eyes and the small wrinkles across his forehead.

"A-okay, Scott. Still on track to meet with the facility," he offered with a knowing smile. The aquanaut was so accustomed to Virgil's trust, he almost laughed. It had only taken his brother two full minutes to voice his subtle concern, but there was little he could do about the situation. That thought alone gave Gordon pause to feel a little sorry for Scott. It wasn't often the commander was on the sidelines while on a rescue. "The path is pretty clear so far. Shouldn't have any trouble getting the group to the surface."

"FAB," a hint of appreciation for the information.

Another minute and he entered part of the lift tube where walls of thick plexiglass gave Gordon a view of the structure below. The ring, contained within a majority of the structure was impossible to see, but the knowledge that the inner components were on a course to possibly explode left his mouth feeling dry. 

Set atop the Ring's housing were containment structures that Brains had warned them to avoid. It appeared that Fischler believed the Arctic temperature wasn't enough to keep the core of the hydro-electric plant from overhearing - a problem with the design according to Brains. The tanks held a super coolant - cheap, but effective - and in an amount that exceeded the standards. Ironically, it was the one safety precaution the scientist had taken that wasn't necessary.

The trip ended as he and the gear hit the doors separating the water and the crew, "I'm here. Attaching the portable hatch, now." At the confirmation from Scott, Gordon latched the device to the thick metal, Brains' tech working to create an airlock. As he climbed inside, he realized how cramped it would be to get two people through at a time. The hope that they could manage the hatch on their own grew, but that answer would only come when he dropped into the relative safety of their confines.

As expected, Gordon was greeted by the four individuals meant to run the rig. To his relief, Fischler wasn't one of them, but he assumed the scientist would be along once he received the news.

"I'm Gordon with international rescue," the information was offered as he unlatched the first of the rescue suits. "I'm going to need everyone to put these on. They'll protect you from the cold as you head to the surface."

"We can't leave yet," a woman spoke even as she passed one of the suits to her colleagues. 

"I don't think you have much of an option. Our readings show this facility is approaching critical," Gordon silently hoped this wasn't about to be the beginning of a new problem. 

"That's just it, with the amount of energy this place is generating - if it explodes, it's going to take out most of the ice shelf," which would devastate the local ecosystem. His brothers wouldn't be too thrilled with this development, but who said Gordon couldn't get the crew off and stop the place from disrupting his world?

"Thunderbird 5, you get all that?" The comm was open, but he wanted to know his space brother was following his train of thought. 

"FAB, looks like there are some flooded compartments between you and the main controls. I'll have Brains look into a solution while you get everyone out," thankfully the astronaut wasn't going to be the one to talk him out of it. It was a job and Gordon was the only one inside to do it, plain and simple.

"Thanks, John," he grinned, beckoning the first suited crew member forward to check the gear. The image of a frown on Scott's face almost matched the call that came down the moment he'd ended the conversation with the astronaut.

"What kind of destruction are we talking about?" Because he didn't like the idea of Gordon staying behind to shut down a facility that could explode around him.

"Besides sea life being disrupted - flooding," he tried to keep it succinct for his brother. "It's taken almost fifty years to get the ice back to a fraction of what it was before climate change. This thing blows and it could throw us back to another Bay City event." They hadn't been there for the cities flooding, too young, but Gordon had witnessed enough of the destruction while on mission to know rising ocean waters would devastate the coasts.

Scott seemed to understand as well, "Alright, I'm ready when you are."

A shaky thumbs up from the young man, probably just out of college and Gordon offered a reassuring smile, "All set for the first crew member -" Amber turned to the man, "What's your name?"

"Jeremy," his voice was steadier than his legs that shook with the prospect of going before everyone else.

"Alright, Jeremy, I'll take you out through the temporary airlock and secure you to the tow line. You're going to need to follow it up until you reach my partner," another reassuring grin. "He'll get you to safety as soon as you're up, okay?"

A nod was all he got and Gordon took it as an invitation to help him up into the small airlock. 'Snug' would be an understatement for how little room there was to move once he joined the man, but there was little he could do about it as the space flooded once the bottom hatch closed. When the pressure gauge indicated it was safe to open the outer door, both pushed out into the glow of the partially functioning lights. Gordon worked quickly to attach the rescue suit to the cable, giving Jeremy an okay sign before hitting the propulsion unit and sending him topside. 

"One on the way, Scott. Moving back inside to prep the next."

"FAB."

Each crew transfer took less time than the last, the woman who had voiced their new dilemma bringing up the rear, "Thank you."

"Just doing my job," it was routine, along with the reassuring smile when it came to coming to the aid of those in distress.

She continued as he helped her into the airlock, "I really tried to keep this place from falling apart. Difficult to do when the boss gives you limited resources." The anger in her tone matched that of most of the people associated with Fischler's technology. 

Gordon pulled himself up beside her, the hatch closing beneath them. As the water began to fill the space, he couldn't help offering his own feelings, "I'm surprised Fischler can make anything like this after all the previous mishaps."

"Funding," she stated simply. "Someone hands him money and he builds what he believes the world needs."

He couldn't imagine who would finance such a high-risk scientist, but considering the growing number of companies jumping on the growing trends of environmentally safe technology, it wasn't surprising. The thoughts were washed away as the water finally covered their heads and the hatch opened. 

"Last crew member on the way, Scott. I'm heading back inside," the blonde didn't wait for a response, already waving off the woman as her suit sent her up. "Any news, Brains?"

The engineer had been listening as he reviewed the facility's layout and was more than ready to walk the aquanaut through the procedures of shutting it down. The problem was getting to the control room. The first section that had separated the crew from getting anywhere else had ruptured, sea water flooding the path. Getting through meant flooding the only room left partially functional, but with everyone safely headed towards the surface, Gordon was more than willing to break the seal. 

Hands gripped a metal bar meant for securing gear, figuring it would do well to keep him in place as the hatch burst with the help of some well placed charges. The water pressure sent the warped metal crashing into the opposite wall with a resounding gong and he was grateful they'd gone with explosives and not his plasma sword. 

As expected, water poured into the room, swirling around his legs as he fought for balance. Years of training had him relying on arm muscles that held him with ease as he allowed the cold liquid to slide off the reinforced neoprene. Once it was to his hip, Gordon stood, noting how quickly the water level was rising, taking the last of the oxygen with it. A tiny voice at the back of his head hated to lose the resource, but the gentle hum of the unit on his back reminded the aquanaut it wasn't necessary. 

"Entering the compartment now " the blonde stated to all those listening. "Passage is clear of debris, but it's pretty dark. Shouldn't this place have enough power to keep the lights on?"

"Unfortunately, the s-surge of energy produced by the ring has destroyed all the l-lighting. We'll be lucky if the c-consols work when you find them." Brains was at a level of agitation that Gordon only witnessed in small doses when their own technology was damaged beyond repair. He and Virgil had witnessed it more times than he could count with how often they used the pods. Thunderbird 4 had been the cause far too often for either of their liking. Now, it was aimed more towards the man responsible for this disaster and Gordon could empathize. 

Helmet lamp on, he continued through the passageway until he came to another door marked 'Command' in brilliant blue lettering, "Alright, I'm here. Looks like the room's flooded." There was a groan on the other end which he took as a bad sign, but he quickly went to work prying the hatch open, hope flickering in his chest as it came free and allowed him to move inside. "What am I looking for, Brains?"

"There's a panel on the f-far side of the room. It controls the output of electricity," the scientist answered as a holographic schematic popped up over Gordon's arm. 

"Got it."

"You'll need to increase the flow to the export u-units. This will reduce the radius of the explosion."

"I thought the goal was for it  _ not _ to explode," the comment came even as he pulled the panel open, willing to trust his friend's instructions.

"A precaution," Brains explained, "If we can't get the ring to s-stop, this will at least limit the damage."

Gordon could understand, seeing as he was the one who would have to be the engineer's hands in this case. If  _ he _ couldn't get the structure to cooperate, they would need a plan B. This was better than anything he could think of. 

Following the image Brains had sent, the aquanaut found the gauge he needed, "Increasing output now." The lights followed from yellow into orange and finally red. Silently, he hoped it wouldn't cause more harm."What next?"

"I've highlighted a console," the hologram blinked as Brains spoke, Gordon quickly swimming over to the indicated structure as the red light sat at the back of his mind. There was a lot of energy moving around him, which meant getting out sooner rather than later was high priority. "If it still works, you'll need to bypass Fischler's regulation unit."

"I'll do my best, but I'm gonna need a step by step," because this was absolutely a job for Brains or Virgil. 

"RAD," and the hologram changed once more, this time showing the inside of the console. "C-carefully, disconnect the two components I've highlighted."

Gordon withdrew his hypospanner from his belt and did as he was asked, frowning as one part gave off a spark before sizzling out. "Uh, Brains?"

"That's fine, Gordon. That's what we're bypassing," the scientist's voice was surprisingly calm. The rest of the instructions continued the same way until the guts of the console looked more like an octopus trying to break open a clam. 

"Done," the aquanaut breathed in the cool air from his tank, hoping this was the last of it and he could head to the surface. The thought of Scott getting the scientists settled brought a small smile to his face, wondering how well big brother was handling his role in all this.

"The controls should work now," Brains let a bit of apprehension slip through and Gordon couldn't help pausing before taking hold of the controls and pulling the lever towards him to reduce the ring's rotation. 

A moment of eerie quiet followed by a low groan that sent the blonde's heart into his throat, and then the silence returned.

"You did it, Gordon!" The cheer made him jump, but his smile grew with relief.

"Great work, Brains," Gordon praised. 

"Alright, problem solved," Scott's tone was at the usual anxious level. "Get back up here and we'll get these people home."

No need to tell him twice as the aquanaut propelled himself towards the exit. Even disarmed, the structure still seemed ominous in the dark. A clouded sky would be more than welcome.

Once through the portable airlock, he quickly worked to detach it, reattaching it to Thunderbird 1's cable, "Ready for retrieval, Scott."

"FAB, good job down there, little brother," the praise was typical, but not something he heard often from the commander. Gordon would've easily sent Virgil a smart remark, make the engineer laugh and then head home for a celebratory treat. When it was Scott, he could only offer a quiet smile, his mind running through the shock of the words.

Before he could respond, the cable gave a jolt as it released the facility and began it's ascent. Gordon followed, propelled by the unit on his back and content to have completed his mission without -

A groan, deep and heart stopping, rippled through the ocean.

"What was that?" Gordon called through the open comm.

"The ring is still slowing down," Brains answered, "the stress on the f-facility should be reducing." Even as the words that were meant to reassure the aquanaut and his listening brothers came through, the structure groaned again, louder and demanding attention. It had his.

Gordon pushed his propulsion pack a bit faster, the concern for decompression being relegated to a problem he could deal with when they made it back to the island. As much as he loved the ocean, he wasn't about to let a ill conceived energy plant be the cause of his death. 

"Coming up a little fast there, Gordon," Scott warned, unnecessarily, and there was a question to it, the commander asking the aquanaut - the expert - if he should be concerned.

"Suit's managing," it was for deep ocean rescues, of course it was managing less than a mile down. "Not too thrilled with the sounds this place is making. As if to emphasize the truth behind that statement, the sound of metal echoed up from below, loud and clearly dangerous.

And then, fear made its way through the comm, "Get out of there! The c-coolant! The tanks have ruptured!" 

The explanation wasn't needed as Brains' warning dug into his skull and forced his hand to increase the propulsion controls. Swimming through freezing cold ocean was one thing, but only Fischler - and most likely, Brains - knew what was being released into the water below. 

The suit was doing its job, but the aquanaut kicked with the progression, willing himself to rise faster. A warning beeped as a sensor picked up the too quick ascent, but he ignored it, well aware of the pain starting to grow behind his eyes and in his ears as they demanded to be released of the pressure change. 

Yet, Gordon continued to kick, listening to the ramblings of the engineer and the panicked questions from his brother. He couldn't focus on what they were saying, but as his kicks began to slow and leg muscles screamed against the sudden resistance, the blonde knew he was in trouble. 

"Gordon, don't slow down!" Scott shouted as though the command would make the sludge Gordon found himself trying to swim through simply disappear.

Not sludge - ice.

The ocean was being super cooled from the facility up and Gordon dared to glance at the sides of the elevator shaft. Already, the slick metal was turning a clouded shade of gray as water froze to it. Crystals darted out like swords waiting for someone to fall on them and with another minute to go, Gordon could imagine the daggers finding their mark in him. 

There was no point worrying about them, however. The first sign that things were about to get worse hit with the screech of his propulsion unit. 

A grunt as his ascent drastically slowed, "Scott! My gear's stopped!" Movement to his left and he caught sight of the retrieval cable. Gordon didn't hesitate, fingers grasping for the lifeline, "Gonna try to grab the cable!"

"Slowing it down for you," big brother was taking over for the commander persona, his voice tight with the need to get Gordon to safety. "Let me know when you're on."

Almost - his fingers brushed the reinforced metal and it slid angrily over his hand. Too fast - 

The aquanaut kicked hard against the growing slush, ignoring the jaring pain as the gecko gloves caught the cable and threatened to pull his shoulder out. As it was, his body spun with the momentum of Thunderbird 1's line and the urge to let go was only held at bay by the imposing ice that grew around him. 

"Thirty seconds, Gordon!" Scott's voice, edged with fear.

Thirty seconds was too long and even before the thought could spur an ounce of despair, the cable came to a soundless, dragging halt. By the sound of his brother's curse, it was anything but quiet on the surface. 

Panic was a tricky thing, easily kept in check when he could focus on his training and skills - could move with the flow of the danger. This was different and Gordon couldn't calm the thundering of his heart as he fought to keep swimming upwards, but each stroke took too much effort and not enough lift. 

And then, movement was impossible.

"Scott!" He hadn't meant to panic, but no amount of training could prepare him as the clouded waters grew around him, engulfing arms and legs, freezing him at the center of the ice shelf. Breathing became choked and rapid as the aquanaut's brain tried to warn him, but he couldn't move, couldn't think. Only one thought seemed to fight its way free as he called out to his family. 

"Help!"

  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

The clarity in that one word sent Scott's nerves screaming for action. He needed to do something, but as his light hit the surface of the water within the lift tunnel, he could already see the churning liquid lose its fluidity until a dull gray blossomed around the edges and ice covered his main access point to Gordon. 

That same brother's rapid breathing filled his ears and gave him an anchor, albeit small, "Gordon, you need to calm down - I'm here - gonna get you out of there, okay?"

The brunette waited as the open channel continued to echo the panic of his brother and he could only imagine what was happening to the younger man. His chest tightened as fear coated Gordon's response, "Scott - I can't move -"

"I know - John, you've got virals?" Scott knew he did, but he needed the reassurance.

"The exosuit's still intact - heart rate's elevated. If he doesn't calm down -" the astronaut's warning was accompanied by a grunt of effort from their trapped brother. 

"-'m trying -" Gordon growled and they could hear his breathing become deliberate, shaky, in and out, until the force of it evened and all that transmitted was the indication that the aquanaut was somewhat in control. A strained whisper followed, "Please tell me there's a plan."

"Working on it, Gordon," Brains was obviously piecing together the problem from the island. There was nothing to worry about, except Scott could never quite get a handle on the anxiety brought on by a brother in trouble. What he needed to focus on was keeping Gordon calm - rescue one-oh-one.

"Talk to me, Gordon," because it was easier for the blonde to cope when his mouth was moving.

"Now, I know what a freeze pop feels like," the humor was edged with the fading panic. 

"Try to relax. You've got plenty of air and the suit'll keep you safe," for a little while, but no use thinking about the two hours of oxygen left before the unit would start cycling CO2. 

"Everyone else up okay?" 

The situation had changed so quickly, Scott had forgotten about the scientists huddled behind him, completely unaware of what was happening below. He shot them a quick glance, noting the confusion on their faces, "They're fine - a bit confused."

A choked laugh, "Understandably -" a muffled sob.

"Hey, Fish, breathe," the elder turned back to the hole in the ice, his voice calmer than he felt.

"This sucks, Scott - like -" Gordon gave a grunt and the commander could envision him trying to riggled free of the ice. "It's like my body's still ramped up, but I can't move to release the tension."

"I know," but he really didn't - not to the extent his second youngest brother did at this moment. Scott could remember rescues that had gone wrong and left him bed ridden for a longer time than he would have liked, but he could always move - a twitched finger or a full on escape to his room. "We gotta get your mind off of it until Brains can figure out a way to get you out."

"G-great, like what?" Desperation filled the response and Scott realized he wasn't sure what to offer. Of his brothers, Gordon tended to keep on his periphery in regards to personal life. When it came to rescue missions, the aquanaut had a way of becoming his main focus. The kid just stumbled into trouble on a regular basis.

"How about you tell me about the ocean life you saved today," that seemed as good a place as any to start.

The silence that floated between their link almost had Scott jumping down into the pit to try chiseling his way down to his little brother - fruitless as it would be - until he heard Gordon take in a shuddering breath, "Man - where to begin… I know you're more than aware of the revitalized polar bear populations. They'd nearly gone extinct back when th- the ice had melted to a third of what it is now."

"Right, Grandma used to show you pictures when you were little and you'd make Virgil or John search to make sure they were all okay," the brunette smiled at the memories of live feeds to some of the previously endangered species of the world. 

"They lost their food source - so did a lot of others." He grew quiet again and Scott was hoping it would be interrupted by Brains with a brilliant idea to get the aquanaut out. Heck, it didn't even have to be brilliant as long as it worked. Gordon somehow managed to change the subject, "Didja know Virgil and I rescued a ringed seal once?" 

"Why don't I find that difficult to believe," his lips thinned, knowing how much - and often - Gordon tended to put animal life above his own well being. "Go on."

"Research ship hit some ice it couldn't break through - broke itself instead," the chattering of teeth hit his ears, Gordon continuing before he could question it. "Seal was just t-too curious for its own good - got caught in some of the eq- equipment that fell overboard."

"Gord-"

"T-took me an hour j-just to get close enough t-to let me cut-t -"

"Gordon, what's wrong?" The change had quickly piqued his worry, knowing full well the suit should be keeping the cold from getting to his brother.

"D-dunno - getting kinda cold - nerves aren't too agreeable - probably a bit of both," a hint of a laugh, marred by the clicking of his molars.

Before Scott could attempt another try at calming the trapped blonde, Brains was offering his own information on the dilemma, "I've alerted Thunderbird 2 and Virgil should be heading to your location shortly."

"Wait, what? Brains, last I checked, Thunderbird 2 was in the middle of a landslide. Isn't there anything I can do?" Because right now he felt pretty useless.

"Thunderbird 1 doesn't have the equipment n-necessary for this type of situation," the sympathy in the engineer's tone did little to lessen his apprehension. "Your laser cutter could help, however, the chemicals Fischler used for his c-coolant seem to freeze on contact with water. Even if you could melt the ice f-fast enough, it would freeze before you got close to Gordon."

"What about the pumps?" It was a straw he grasped desperately to, knowing the pumps were meant to clear out small vessels that had taken on water. It didn't go unmissed that the aquanaut would be the lead in fixing up those ships. "Couldn't I get started and clear the water as I go?"

"It would take hours to get that deep," reason outweighed the idea and the proverbial straw broke, leaving Scott with that same overwhelming sense of failure. "Thunderbird 2 is bringing the m-mole pod. The laser cutters and pumps will be best used once you get closer to Gordon's location."

"Right-t, don't wanna shatter like an ice cube p-please," Gordon gave a humourless chuckle and the image flashed through the brunette's mind with piercing clarity. A fracture anywhere near his brother could tear him to pieces. 

"What's Virgil's ETA?" Scott redirected his own thoughts, hoping for some good news.

"Fifty-six minutes," his immediate younger brother answered, obviously intent on the information bouncing between locations. "I've got her going as fast as I can."

Almost an hour. That meant one hell of a wait for someone who couldn't move, "And there's nothing else I can do?" The desire for action was growing again, but it wasn't Brains who tried to calm his nerves.

"Scott - just, mmm - talk to me," Gordon spoke with a calm, betrayed by the wavering in his voice. "Not much of a v-view down h-here - could use some comp- company."

In the span of the few seconds it took for Gordon's request to come through, Scott found himself sitting on the ice, legs dangling into the hole, iR operative stepping aside for big brother. A breath steadied him just the slightest, his palm pressing against the cold surface that separated then, "Alright, Fish, I've got a story or two if that'll help."

The sniffle and groan didn't quite match the cheeriness Gordon tried to offer, "Tell aw-way, bro."

A glance over his shoulder to see the scientists getting comfortable even without the knowledge of what was wrong and Scott was grateful. He could focus on his brother until help arrived, smiling to himself at the memory he was about to dredge up, "Want something epic or embarrassing?"

The laugh that echoed into his ear was much more authentic, "Like you n-needed to ask. You've got en-enough embarrassing stories from me to f-fill a n-novel."

Right, ammunition for little brothers it was to be, "So, remember that building collapse in New York last year?"

"Mmhmm - the one where they almost got a picture of Virgil for the news," a big deal for their operation even if people knew they were the Tracys. Brains and John had fixed the problem almost immediately.

"Right, that's the one," and now that he was about to divulge this part of the briefing few had been privy to, Scott felt the heat growing in his cheeks."Uh, so, Virgil had to - um, cut open some of their ventilation system."

A pause as Gordon listened, his breathing even, though more pronounced than usual, "How come?"

The similarities hit the brunette a second later and he frowned, hoping not to sound too insensitive. Gordon's predicament was remarkably worse than what he had experienced. A sigh and he continued, "I, uh, was a little too big to crawl through it."

Another silence that made Scott's chest tighten, wondering how the blonde would react. And finally that voice that enjoyed a good ribbing at the expense of another brother's pride, "Scotty, did you get stuck?"

"For the record, I didn't know the vent narrowed when I jumped down it," he earned a laugh from his little brother, smiling with relief. "Virgil basically had to open it like a can opener and even then my legs were the only thing he got loose."

The smile almost radiated through the comm, "Aw, guess w-we get to share the nick-nickname Sardine then?"

Scott felt the burn in his earns, not meaning to give up the next bit, "Promise you won't tell Alan -"

"Tell him what?"

"Gordon -"

"F-fine, I promise," the lack of a fight was worrying, but Scott pressed on.

"Virgil called me Spam for a week after that."

The shuddering laugh was worth the reveal and Scott knew for the next fifty minutes, he would gladly attempt to repeat the reaction. He let the thought of his brother trapped in the dark flit across his mind's eye, unable to move, and recalled how he'd felt in the vent. He'd pushed and pulled. Tried to reach for his own laser cutter wedged against the metal and useless. It had been terrifying for a short moment until he heard Virgil, calm and reassuring. Scott would get Gordon out, just as their brother had done for him. Less than an hour and they would be drinking hot cocoa and laughing at all of the commander's lackluster moments in the field. 

OoOoOoO

The stories continued for a little while and Gordon tried his best to listen, focusing on Scott's words and attempting to commit them to memory. The problem - well, one of them anyway - were the beads of moisture falling slowly from his nostrils and lingering on his upper lip. He'd tried to ignore them and the nagging itch. He'd tried sniffling and wriggling his nose, but to no avail and the desire to wipe them away was immense. 

The chill that had seeped past Brains' suit hadn't helped, sending his muscles into uncontrolled spasms as he tried to shiver. Gordon could only imagine how much colder the ice around him was to make it through the armored neoprene. 

And that damned drip. 

"Gordon?" 

Scott's voice broke through his concentration and he realized he'd missed the majority of the last tale. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing -" the word was growled with the frustration that the moisture produced. With a little less bite, "It's nothin', just - nose is running."

If Scott understood, he didn't voice it, "Want me to start over?"

How much had he missed? They'd been talking about his brother's first day on base, "You were s-super nervous?"

"Right, and I lost my breakfast on the first run," the image of a younger Scott slumped over and vomiting in a field seemed unreal, but his brother wasn't about to lie to him. Not right now anyway.

"Not holdin' b-back are ya -" and as quickly as his attention had shifted, a new crisis hit him like a dagger through his leg. The strangled cry hadn't been intentional, but he couldn't stop it as fire tore up his calf and thigh.

The sound of his brother calling to him did nothing to quell the pain and he sucked in a breath before sobbing, "My leg! Cramp -" His muscles felt like they were going to tear his leg apart and he thrashed against the solid ice, unable to move more than his head a few inches within the confines of his helmet.

"Breathe, Gords," his brother sounded frantic, not that Gordon could think what that might look like as tears made it past his clenched eyelids. His heart was pounding in his throat and somewhere in his mind he knew the cramp was generating an anxiety attack, shattering what resolve he had to stay calm.

The brothers had an unspoken rule - stay professional. Don't scare the people they're there to rescue. It usually helped ground them through any injury or pain, but right now, in this one excruciating moment, Gordon didn't care. In his ice prison, it was only him. No one to save. No brothers to hold his hand as his muscles rebelled. 

He let the cry rip from his throat, raw and guttural as the pain seized his leg. His back ached and fed into the searing burn of his muscles. Tears fell freely down his face, pooling at the base of his helmet and down his neck, their warmth a stark contrast to the cold chill, but lost to his torment. 

Whether it was the pain or lack of oxygen as his body refused to take in an adequate amount, Gordon's senses dulled and the shadows grew in his vision. The next thing he knew, Scott was yelling. John was there, reassuring their brother that the aquanaut's vitals were stable. Amber blinked open, throat thick and he swallowed against the haze.

"Gordon, can you hear me?" Scott had focused on re-establishing communications, his voice tinged with worry.

"Mmm -" certainly not a word, but as much as his brains was willing to offer. Though the cramp had relented, some of the pain remained and it took every ounce of him to relax. The tickle of saline drying on his skin was irritating, but a welcome distraction.

"You okay, Fish?" Big brother was in full worry mode, the professional tone replaced by a scared tenderness.

No - he really wasn't, if the tears trickling over his cheeks were any indication. He wanted his brother. He wanted out to the point his breaths were hitched with soft sobs. 

"C'mon, Squirt, I need you to focus."

But what should he focus on? The new aches? The cold? The fact he couldn't even wiggle a damn finger? The time still between him and Thunderbird 2's arrival? All of it was a glaring reason for the anxiety to peak again and suddenly, Gordon was angry.

"What the hell am I supposed to focus on, Scott?" The growl was harsh in his throat.

A beat of silence spurred by the snap, his brother probably trying to recover from the shock of it, "You need to stay calm, Gordon. Think of something that can distract you from what's happening."

His nostrils flared as he drew in a breath, amber glaring in the direction he assumed the commander was standing, "All I c-can think about - is how m-much this hurts. Focusing on home h-hurts. I'm cold 'n tired."

"I know -"

"No! N-no you don't know, Scott! This sucks! Worse than my accident - worse th-than the chas cre-crew -" Gordon had to swallow back the memories that came with waking up with a back that didn't want to work or the ache of post-op for a broken leg and collar bone. "At least - at least then, I c-could move." He took another breath, steadier this time, and he felt the anger centering in his chest, but no longer at his brother - at the pain he'd already experienced at the hands of others, whether intentional or not. 

Scott was silent a long time after that, forced to listen to the slow intake and exhale as the emotions bubbled around. He didn't feel like crying anymore, instead wishing he could take out his frustrations on the people responsible for all this - for everything.

And slowly, as his respirations calmed, so did he, and the conversation was playing over in his head. That anger - steady and real. The quiet that followed was now almost deafening.

"Sorry -"

"Nothing to apologise for, Gordon," there was no heat to the reply. "You have every right to be angry. I'll be glad to add to it if that helps?" The aquanaut could hear the smirk. 

A faint smile, "We bo-both know that's not difficult." Gordon knew full well how much he could get on his eldest brother's last nerve. Scott was all about the rules and making sure they all followed them, but too often would bend one himself. That was how their jobs just went - never the same twice. On the surface, Scott was a hypocritical leader, which Gordon challenged on most days. Underneath, he was a big brother just trying to keep his family safe regardless of what happened to him. They all knew this, but that didn't mean he had to be happy about it. 

"I'm tempted to ask more about that stripped seal. Believe it or not, Virgil told me how close you got to losing a hand." 

"Ringed seal, and she was just scared," and maybe her teeth had brushed his fingertip as he'd pulled away from the cables holding her in place. 

"And she could've killed you. Now, I'm considering a new wildlife protocol."

Gordon's lips thinned before the chattering started again, "I hope you intend to- to find a safer way to save anything we come ac-cross." There were only a handful of incidents where he or his brothers had been tasked with saving animals along with the people in danger. Virgil and the panda had been a close call and one Scott had questioned after the fact. Yes, it was an endangered species, but he couldn't see why their brother had been forced to take that risk. The reef had at least had the potential of affecting human populations. 

"Potentially," Scott clarified. "I don't think I could stop you from trying, so I might as well look at the alternatives."

Good, because his brother had it right. It didn't matter who or what was in trouble. Every life had a right to be given the chance of another day. 

Communication stopped for a moment, neither offering up a continuation to that dilemma, but Gordon got the impression something was wrong. He couldn't hear Scott's breathing anymore.

"Hey, Scott?"

"Still here," a beat of hesitation, "John was just giving me an update on your vitals."

"And?" Gordon wasn't sure why he was asking. He knew how he felt and could still feel the thrum of his heart.

"Heart rate's elevated, but still okay. Your temperature's dropping, though," he could imagine the creases on the older man's forehead and the frown maring the dimpled cheeks. 

If he were honest, the shivering was slowing and a slight numbness was setting into his skin, an opposite to the pain in his muscles, "Well, that s-sucks."

"Hot cocoa should fix that," when Virgil finally got there and they could dig him out. There was no telling how long that would take, but it was all he had to cling to - that and the beverage Scott was promising. 

"Virg might have some-something to say about us g-getting into his stash," Gordon only knew about it because the engineer had threatened him with bodily harm if he touched it. 

"I think I can make an exception," like a beacon lighting in the dark, said brother's voice sounded through his helmet. "On approach to your location. I'll be down in three minutes."

Three minutes - and whatever it took to get down to him - and he'd be out. He could wait a little longer.

  
  



	3. Chapter 3

The module was released the moment he'd set his 'bird down and activated the lifts, the pod already set for the task Brains had described to him en route. Virgil was glad for it, having listened to the open transmissions to keep tabs on his brothers. He'd remained silent, focused on making sure the pod was set, but the agony he could hear in his co-pilot's voice had almost been too much. The engineer had then listened to Scott and John with updates and pleas that seemed to go unheard by their little brother. He was grateful when Gordon had finally been under control enough to give the heated exchange. Even more relieved it had helped.

And then he was there, the module door opening and the mole pod descending to meet Scott. He remained aware of the tube extending from the back which linked with Thunderbird 2's pump system. The coolant would need to be suctioned away if they didn't want to find themselves stuck like Gordon.

The next problem came with the fact that the mole pod could only hold two - comfortably. One of them staying behind wasn't an option though. Getting their little brother out was going to be difficult with two people, almost impossible with just one.

"We'll manage," Scott effortlessly climbed up the side of the pod and into the rear seat. 

Virgil gave the group sitting by Thunderbird 1 a look of concern, "They know what's going on?"

"Not the specifics, but they know there's a problem. I've told them to sit tight until we get back," Scott offered. At least they were cooperating and not demanding they be taken somewhere for some important reason. Not for the first time in the last few minutes, the engineer was thankful that Fischler wasn't present.

"Alright," well trained fingers snapped the switch for the heated drill, followed closely by the suction pump. "Beginning descent. You still listening, Gordo?"

"Y-yep," the response was sluggish, giving the elder brother something else to be concerned about. Gordon had been feeding off of the adrenaline that came with fear. Now that help had arrived, his body could be shutting down.

"Feel up to talking while we work?" Virgil asked, watching the ice begin to hiss with steam as the drill bit through it.

"Honestly - hard to think of anything to sa-say."

"King of the Chatterboxes? Speechless?" The engineer teased, pushing back the nagging voice that demanded he speed things up. "C'mon, I know you've got a trove of bad jokes you like to dump on me when you're bored."

"Wish I was bor-bored," but a memory must have snagged in the aquanaut's mind as he chuckled, "but I guess I'll just have to ch-chill down here for a little longer."

"Of your top ten, that might be the worst," Virgil was glad to at least hear the smile behind the pun. The shadows grew as they made it past the surface, the outer lights sending an eerie glow through the ice. As much as he wanted to take in the deep blues and teals mixing with the gray that surrounded them, his focus was on the small life sign that lay another seventeen meters below. 

"Eh - can't all be winners," Gordon's grin stayed in place, a slight shiver in his words betraying the nerves still on edge. 

"Want to continue filling Scott in about Sealia?" Maybe another tactic, already attempted, but it had proven effective.

"Sealia?" The brunette chimed in behind him.

"The seal - y'get it - seal-ia," a tone that usually bubbled up when the blonde was messing with their big brother. "Virg made the crew wait in Th-thunderbird 2 - gave'm the excuse that their ship had caused some damage tha-that would need r-repairs before they could leave."

Okay, so little brother was giving more away than was necessary, but at least he was talking. Virgil returned his attention to his controls as Gordon continued on about the "friend" he'd made that day. The engineer could still recall the nervous clench of his gut as he listened to the exchange between man and frightened beast. 

That was the thing about Gordon, though. He rarely gave up on anything, be it human or sea creature, to pranks and challenges. He reveled in seeing a job complete. Virgil remembered the first time the blonde had come bounding into the lounge babbling about how he'd finally coaxed the fish living in the cove to eat out of his hand. One in particular, an injured parrot fish that had been hesitant to interact, had finally gotten close enough for Gordon to inspect. He'd already set up plans for how to help the fish. 

So it hadn't been a stretch that the aquanaut was willing to wait a full hour to get the seal comfortable before he cut the cables from the unit keeping it in place and shifted the gear away. His brother's description of the seal's retreat had been embellished with the idea the creature had turned and waved to her rescuer. Virgil was sure it was just the animal checking for further danger, but he had allowed their resident fish some satisfaction for another life saved. 

"Scott, c'n we get a dog?" The question popped up after Gordon had elaborated on Sealia's departure. It didn't go unnoticed that the words were beginning to slur together.

"What kind of dog?" It wasn't a yes by any means, the subject a controversial one after Alan and Gordon had presented their reasoning to have the pet. Right now, it seemed a good way for Scott to keep their brother talking.

"A - a blue heeler," the only hesitation came from the tremors Gordon was most likely experiencing.

A groan sounded behind him and Virgil could imagine the put-out look on the brunette's face. This was a conversation they'd had before and it hadn't ended well for the two youngest. They just didn't have the time to invest into training a dog. Grandma had made it clear she wouldn't be helping with that endeavor either. "I'm listening," Scott offered. 

"Really? 'Cause l-last I checked, you said it'd be unfair to th-the dog with us going on res-rescues all the time," no bite, but certainly not happy.

"Last time you asked was a year ago," Virgil pointed out as he joined into the conversation. "Things are a bit different now." 

"And I don't think it's really me you need to be asking anymore," the warmth in Scott's voice sent a smile over the engineer's face.

Gordon was quiet for a beat before he came through, timid for the skilled diver he was, "You think Dad would let us?"

"Won't know until you ask him," the brunette continued to offer a bit of hope. "I can guess he's already on his way back to the island to wait for us."

"Well, that'll be good - 'cause, uh - I m-might already have one," a squeak finished the confession and it was shocked silence that answered.

"What?" Scott broke in.

"I mean - technically, Penny has her, for- for training, but sh-she's mine to bring home next m-month."

"Gordon -" big brothers in unison.

"Hey, I c-can't help that my girlfriend heard me tal-talking about it and decided it would m-make a good birthday present," Gordon was smiling for reasons other than the dog he'd snuck under his family's radar. "And before you a-ask, she's fully trained by the b-best. Plus I got to visit her every time I went to visit P-Penelope. We get along gr-great."

"Gords -"

"C'mon, Virg, she f-fits all the req- requirements. You'll love her."

Virgil tried not to laugh as he corrected, "Not what I was going to say, Squirt."

"What then?"

"We're here."

OoOoOoO

'Here' was relative. They were still a good ten feet from their brother, but the fear of fracturing the ice had pulled them short of coming up right next to him. Scott had sat silently waiting as Virgil used the heat bank to create a clearing at the end of their tunnel for them to work. Gordon had fallen silent as well, the talk of dogs lost to the proximity of rescue. 

Once they were able to open the hatch, Scott jumped out, clinging to the edge of the pod as his feet lost traction on the ice. The puddle hadn't helped, but the pump was quickly sending it to the surface. Good thing since the brunette could already feel the cold seeping into his suit. His gear wasn't as substantial as Gordon's, but to think this could be what the aquanaut was feeling sent a spur of urgency in his actions. 

Virgil handed him one of the thermal units, similar to their laser cutters except in how the beam had been replaced by a wide sweeping cone of heat. It wasn't fast by any means, but Scott was pleased to see the ice under his ministrations visibly melting away with each pass. Between the two of them, they had a seven foot tall and four foot wide gouge in the ice, plenty of room for one of the two of them to continue working. 

The next problem presented itself when Scott went to step inside. His feet didn't cooperate. With a startled lurch, he caught himself on the wall and quickly glanced down to see the issue. The puddle they'd been standing in was now a solid sheet holding the soles of his boots in place. Blue eyes found Virgil in the same predicament.

"What happened to the pump?" He growled as he sent the heat gun to his right boot, riggling it free the moment the ice melted.

Virgil was copying his actions, making his way back to the pod that now had three inches of ice surrounding its treads. A moment later and the prognosis wasn't a good one, "The pump's having trouble keeping up with how fast this stuff freezes. I'll stay out here and keep the intake clear. You get to Gordon."

"FAB," a quick nod and Scott was back to work on the opening. With only one of them advancing, the time frame was lengthened and he felt a fluttering in his heart. "You still with us, Squirt?"

"Mmhmm," by the sound of it, that was just barely.

The work continued at the slower pace and the brunette was acutely aware his limbs were growing numb with the freezing liquid sloshing over his feet. Every few steps he would have to heat his boots to loosen the ice's grip and the heat would send pins and needles through the material. He held back a hiss, flexing toes - or tried to - and refocused on the tunnel he was creating.

By the time Scott had cleared two thirds of the distance needed to reach their brother, the tunnel had shrunk from seven feet to a serviceable five feet. He was forced into an awkward crouch as he worked and nearly bashed his head on the ceiling as Virgil gave an urgent call from behind.

"Scott! The pump's had it! Stop melting the ice or we won't be able to get the pod out!" The warning came with a heavy dose of regret. 

Turning off the thermal device, he felt it too - the rescue would be hindered by yet another obstacle. Attaching the device to his belt, he called back, "What do we do then?"

"Laser cutter," Virgil answered as though it was a trivial thing, but the way he pushed himself into the hole, wrist raised to enter commands into his comm spoke otherwise. "I'll need to get us an image of Gordon's location, find the right angles and we can cut out chunks of the ice until we're close enough." And hopefully not cut through the blonde in the process. He got the idea loud and clear.

Scott took up position with the device, waiting for the engineer's instruction. Forty-five degree angle to the right, eighty-five below and above, and finally, the cut that released the two by four foot hunk of ice. They let it slide past them and out into the cleared area, already intent on the next section of lacerations.

"Guys," Gordon's voice whispered through the comm, causing the elder two to halt their task to listen.

"Go ahead, Gordon," Virgil responded gently, a contrast to the tight muscles flexing in his jaw. 

"Got a - problem," a wheeze.

"What is it?" The eldest thought it best not to point out the plethora of problems they already had.

"Conden-sation."

A waste of a second, both men taking in what that one stuttered word meant, before they dove back into the rescue. Scott cursed inwardly as his hand shook to hit his comm, "John, I need a reading of Gordon's suit."

He heard the connection open well before the red-head answered, "The suit's losing its ability to keep Gordon stable. Oxygen's going to run out in four minutes and temperature is dropping."

"Always - with the good - news," no one took the bait, the two closest knowing that four minutes was going to be near impossible to achieve. Whether Gordon understood that, the blonde didn't let on to it.

"We get to his pack and I can see about restarting the suit's systems," Virgil commented even as he indicated the next cutting point and angle. 

Scott couldn't respond, desperately needing to get through the ice. He could hear the chatter on the other end, Gordon's teeth picking up their pace as his suit no longer offered any level of warmth. 

"D-did-n' th-think it could ge-get any wor-worse," the effort to even get the sentence out was not lost on the brothers. 

"Controlled breathing, Gordon," Virgil warned. "Conserve what you can. The cold will help - a little."

Great, his second youngest sibling had a couple choices - hypothermia, but his body wouldn't need as much oxygen, or run out of air before his body gave out to the cold. Neither sounded appealing and they offered more drive to press on. 

Three minutes later and to his relief, the hologram of his brother's location was no longer needed, the light from their helmets illuminating the blue and sunshine yellow held within the ice. Scott couldn't tear his eyes away for a brief second, taking in the outstretched arm reaching towards the surface or the legs that had kicked until they froze in place. Even in the resistance of the ice growing around him, Gordon's form had been impeccable.

"We see you," he finally found his voice and with a quick glance to Virgil, he saw the thermal emitter in his hands. No more cutting. It was time to speed things up and hope they had an escape route when they got their brother out. A beat of silence. No response. "Gordon?"

Still nothing.

A curse that tasted like bile and Scott had his own device up and aimed towards the unit on the aquanaut's back, "We need to get to his suit controls!"

Virgil was working before the sentence ended, his heat gun creating a steady trickle of coolant that led back down the tunnel and froze before it made it back to the pod. Whatever this stuff was, it was far too strong a cooling agent than most commercial and industrial products. When this was over and Gordon was safe, Scott sure as hell was going to have some questions for Fischler.

They hit the bright yellow plate of the suit's backing, watching with bated breath as the ice melted away by the second. It took all of Scott's patience to not try ripping chunks of it away and he finally sucked in a lungful of air as Virgil reached forward and popped open the system access panel. The red lights flashing within indicated just what they had expected and with a flip of the reset, it hummed back to life, the red turning to green. 

One problem fixed. 

A haggard, gasped breath made it through the comms and both men nearly lost their footing.

"Gordon?" Scott almost shouted, reigning himself in as he heard the steady intakes from the blonde.

"- y'guys almost - h-here?" Followed by a ragged cough and groan.

"Yeah, almost," Virgil looked pale in the light of his helmet, the stress of how close they'd come to losing their brother, even though it was a well known fact Gordon could hold his breath much longer than three minutes. "We're going to get your top half free first, then your legs."

"F-FAb-B."

From there, they continued melting away their brother's prison, Scott pressing a hand into Gordon's side to keep him in place as they worked their way up, over his torso, shoulder, helmet, outstretched arm. As the final finger was loosed, the eldest took the arm and wasn't surprised to see the pain flicker over the aquanaut's face as joints protested. 

"Slow movements, Gordon. You've been stuck almost an hour and a half," the brunette spoke gently as he watched the fingers flex just the slightest. "I'm going to start lowering your arm. Let me know if you need me to stop."

"-'kay," the fractured word was gasped out as Scott slowly shifted the appendage a couple centimeters before stopping at the groan that slipped through clenched teeth. The elder brother was thankful that this might be the most difficult move for the blonde, his other arm and legs stuck in a more natural form in comparison to the raised arm. Another few centimeters turned to inches and with an exhausted sigh, Gordon seemed to slump into the hands holding him up. If it weren't for the dark tinge to his brother's lips, Scott might have been relieved. As it was, they had only succeeded in releasing his torso. There was still the ever present concern of hypothermia.

Virgil dropped, leaving Scott to keep Gordon secure as he worked to free his legs. The difficult part was having to limit his mobility, each shift sending a small whimper or hiss. 

"How ya holding up, Squirt?" Scott whispered across the comm link.

"In-nsides hurt - fr-freezing, r-read-dy f-f'r home," the words were broken, but to the commander's ever growing worry, the shivering had stopped. 

"I know, kiddo," he couldn't help giving his brother the tiniest of hugs, the aquanaut more than able to feel it with an acknowledging huff. Scott tried to smile as his brother usually would on rescues - calm the nerves for the people they rescued - but it didn't quite fit and he turned his attention to Virgil instead, "How much longer, Virgil?"

"One more minute and I'll have him completely free. Just be ready to catch him," the engineer answered and Scott could already feel Gordon's weight increasing. Small movements had his arms wrapped around the blonde's torso, Scott careful not to jostle him too much. The kid had already been through enough. 

What little was still holding the aquanaut in place was soon gone and he crumpled with a sharp cry as frozen muscles screamed with the sudden use. It was cut short as strong arms caught the smaller figure, devices left to sit on the ice, Virgil moving to help adjust. Scott passed his brother's upper half to the engineer so that his back rested against the broad chest, arms crossing over the exo-suit's chest plate. Gently, the commander took Gordon's legs and maneuvered him back towards the pod, doing his best not to slide down the slope they'd created. 

It was all training as they hit the small space, the elder brothers spurred by the sudden silence of the aquanaut whose face had gone slack with the rest of him. Now, they were fighting against low body temperatures with a ticking clock over their heads and feet that wouldn't hold traction. Virgil, being the strongest of the two, took all of their little brother's weight as Scott slid open the hatch and steadied himself to accept his charge. It was awkward and cramped, but neither voiced it or cared. They focused on lifting and carefully shifting Gordon up and into the eldest's lap, their helmets tapping out an odd code as the blonde's head fell onto Scott's shoulder. 

"All set," the brunette called to everyone listening, and then to Virgil, " Let's get him outta here."

"FAB." The hatch closed over the engineer's response and with an ice shattering jerk, the pod's treads pulled free and they began their ascent. 

  
  
  



	4. Chapter 4

Listening was John's job, but when it was a brother in trouble, he always found himself driven to do something more. He'd given Scott and Virgil everything they needed in order to locate and assess their brother's condition, yet it still felt insufficient. Certainly not enough to speed up the rescue.

So, he turned his attention to the scientists, anxiously pacing with the knowledge that something had gone wrong, but kept out of the loop. They would have to be his hands for now.

A projector on Thunderbird 2's outer hull sent a stream of light and the translucent image of the astronaut appeared in front of the small group, each of them startling with his sudden presence. At the sound of his brothers alerting him to their arrival at Gordon's location, John didn't bother with explanations, "I'm going to need your assistance."

The woman, Dr Nesser, stepped forward in a way she was accustomed as head of the facility, "Anything, just point us in the right direction."

"I need Thunderbird 2's infirmary prepped," they didn't need to know why, but they could guess. 

Nesser simply nodded and turned towards the open module, beckoning one of the other scientists to follow. As she set the first step into the containment unit, she glanced back at his hologram, her expression thin as she waited for further instructions. He couldn't blame her hesitation - Thunderbird 2 was a massive ship and just finding the med bay was a trick of its own. 

John's hologram flickered out and back into the corner of the currently empty module and he gestured to the wall, "There's a release here for the medical bed, supplies they'll need are in the third cabinet from the left."

Hesitation gone, the two worked to do as they were asked. It wasn't surprising. They'd requested help and received it. Now, the one person who had saved them was in a predicament of his own. It was a debt paid in an instant and they were willing to pay interest.

By the time the med bay was set and blankets were reaching optimal heat, the mechanical roar of the pod exiting the tunnel filled the area. John was gone before both scientists could register what was happening, the astronaut materializing outside once more in order to watch the vehicle come to a sliding halt just feet away. Virgil had the hatch open before the pod came to a complete stop and was the first to jump out, spinning on the edge to take a smaller figure from Scott.

Gordon lay motionless - so unlike himself. So much like the last time they'd pulled him from the depths. Those memories were still far too fresh in the astronaut's mind and he forced in a steadying breath to bring himself back to this moment. This time was different.

Virgil still had all of their little brother bundled in his arms as he descended from the pod, leaving Scott to follow after. Long limbs and the cramped space had delayed him only a handful of seconds. They passed the scientists who had finally made it to the module's entrance, their confusion from earlier replaced with painful clarity and they quickly moved out of the way to let the iR operatives through. 

John silently watched as, piece by piece, the exo-suit was removed, revealing the insufficient neoprene underneath. The helmet was gone, but the color of Gordon's cheeks shouldn't have been this pale, even in the glow of the projection on Thunderbird 5. He shouldn't look so frozen.

Monitors screamed to life as the brothers finished their initial scan and Virgil was cursing as he lifted the blonde up to remove the wetsuit. It would do more harm than good if they wanted to get his temperature up from - eighty-five. An expletive slipped past John's lips as well and it was as though Scott had finally noticed him hovering over them. The look they shared spoke volumes more than they could have uttered in regards to how this had happened, why this had happened, and who was going down for it - to which, John had some of those answers. They would wait until Gordon was stable and safe and, preferably, home.

Heat packs and warm blankets were draped over the small form, color rising in his cheeks just as the tremors started back up. Shivering was supposed to be a good sign, but with Gordon still unconscious, it was unnerving to say the least. Not until amber eyes peeked out from behind lids that wouldn't open fully was Scott willing to leave his side, collecting the crew they had been sent to rescue and beginning the retrieval protocol for the pod. It was done quickly - far too quickly to meet their standards, but that conversation was for another time. Right now, they needed to drop the scientists off at Fischler Industries and get Gordon home.

So, with an increasing return of control, John sent the coordinates through to the commander, tethering Thunderbird 1 to follow under EOS' controls. He had a new purpose to focus on and answers to give to his family.

OoOoOoO

When Gordon was six months into his rotation with WASP, they'd been given a training assignment - cold water ops, minimal gear. It was supposed to prepare them for extreme situations that the ocean could throw at them. It had seemed like an understandable requirement with how low temperatures could get and they needed to be ready. Gordon had even been excited to see how he faired - up until the icy waters engulfed him, stealing his breath and burning his skin. He'd done it, though, in record time and stood with his team as they shivered on the sidelines, watching the other teams take their turns. They laughed about it later and swore they could do it again if they had to - no questions.

This was nothing like that. This cold ate at his bones, gnawing nerve endings and sending his muscles into spasms beyond his control. His lungs ached as they drew in the smallest amount to keep him conscious and his head spun with the hazy glow of the lights above him. Gordon was aware of a figure looming above and pressing warmth against his chest. It burned, though, hot against his frozen skin, like the air right after they had pulled themselves from the icy waters during training. Only, he couldn't move. He still couldn't move his arms to rid himself of the discomfort and it sent a whimper bubbling from his throat and out between chattering teeth.

"Take it easy, Squirt. I've got ya," to add emphasis to that tender voice, a hand came to rest in his hair, fingers brushing through the blonde waves. It was an anchor and he attached himself to it, wanting nothing more than to escape his own body. Each stroke brought with it a breath - in and out, in and out - a mask materializing to cover his nose and mouth. Or had it been there before? He couldn't remember seeing the figure's hands move to retrieve it. He simply felt the hand on his head.

The figure moved and it was recognizable as the fog began to lift. Gordon smiled - thought he did, anyway - teeth chattering, "H-hey, V-v-virg-g."

"Hey, Gordo," relief illuminated his brother's face with a broad, watery grin. "I'm getting you warmed back up as much as I can before we head home. Anything else you need while we wait?"

He thought for a moment, two moments, trying to clear the way for a thought. One finally came through, but with it came a flutter in his chest and a tightness in his throat that threatened to strangle him. Virgil saw the moment his expression had changed to panic and was attempting to brush it away with the fingers in his hair. 

"Whoa, little brother, breathe."

He did, but the problem was still there and he needed it gone, "C-can-n't m-m-" Gordon tried, but his throat hurt and tears were tracking down the side of his face with the effort and fear. 

"Can't what?" Voice gentle and steady, the engineer turned medic in a heartbeat.

A shuddering breath and he closed his eyes - and he was back down there. Ice held him in place like a sunken statue, alone in the dark. He couldn't move even though his body chose to with each chill that ran through him. 

Distant voices were calling to him through the rush of blood in his ears, too difficult to understand until hands gripped his face. Palms pressed into his jaw as thumbs ran over his cheeks, wiping away moisture as it fell. The voice cleared and Gordon answered, opening blurry eyes.

"There ya go," Virgil coaxed with a gentle smile. "Just keep those eyes open."

Amber tracked his brother's movements and blinked droplets from lashes until the image cleared. His mouth opened with the dilemma still sitting on the tip of his tongue, " - can't-t - m-mo-ove -" There. He'd succeeded, but the confusion on the raven-haired man's face sent his hopes plummeting. 

There really was no need to worry, the pilot in tune with his co-pilot and slowly nodding with some sense of understanding. Virgil lifted the warming blanket and pulled free one of Gordon's bare arms and set it over the aquanaut's chest, "That's all I can give you right now, kiddo. You're still dangerously cold."

Didn't he know it, but his focus was on the hand as it rose and fell against his chest. The fingers were an angry red and felt like they were numb and on fire at the same time. That didn't stop him from flexing them, though, watching and feeling as the appendages moved over the thick blanket. 

And a breath held back in lungs that weren't ready for such a task was released, along with the tension of a nightmare coming to an end. 

Gordon smiled despite the aches. 

"You good?" Virgil broke through the moment with his own gentle grin. The blonde nodded and the arm was sent back under the blanket. "Alright, you just rest and let me do my job. You can handle that?"

An exaggerated grimace sent a chuckle through his brother and Gordon felt his control slowly starting to return. All he needed to do was keep his family happy until his body decided to return to its usual warmth. Then it would be easier to cope - to forget.

Just keep smiling until everyone was okay. 

He needed to be okay.

OoOoOoO

Scott's grip was tight against the controls of the green cargo ship, trying to keep his anger at bay - and the shivering. He was cold, but it was nothing compared to what his brother must have felt and that brother needed him to get them home sooner rather than later. They were already on final approach to Fischler's and there was a silent hope that the scientist was hiding when they arrived. The commander wasn't sure what he would do if the man showed his face to proclaim his invention wasn't to blame for the disaster. 

"Scott," John's voice startled him out of his concentration and a shiver ran up his spine, forcing the pilot to suck in a steadying breath. 

"Yeah?" It came out clipped from a jaw held tight.

"Virgil's got Gordon as stable as he can," the astronaut continued, unperturbed by his eldest brother's attitude. "After you drop off the scientists, he wants you in the infirmary. I'll pilot Thunderbird 2 from here."

Accusatory blue turned to the hologram floating over the console, "What? John, I'm fine. I can -"

"I sent him your suit's telemetry," turquoise narrowed with the interruption, always willing to call out a brother who was hiding something. 

"And I'm f-fine." Crap.

"Your body temperature is too low. Virgil wants you to at least get under a warming blanket and keep an eye on Gordon." John's tone lightened slightly as he played to the big brother's need to take care of younger ones.

"What about Virgil? He was down there as long as I was," that statement brought with it a whole new anxiety, wondering if the engineer was hiding something as well.

"But he wasn't standing in coolant the whole time. Plus he was able to get his protective gear on while he made it to your location." A small, knowing smile, "At least keep Gordon company."

He'd been doing that for the good part of two hours and the reminder was enough to lower the commander's guard, a set of shivers breaking across his shoulders. Focusing on Gordon suddenly seemed a whole lot easier than trying to keep his anger in check. 

"Alright," Scott sighed. "I'll head down as soon as we land."

A nod from John and a trajectory appeared next to his floating image. "Five minutes."

"FAB."

Silence filled the cockpit again as Scott was left to pilot the remainder of their trip alone. Now, the tremors were held back in order to keep his brother's 'bird stable, concentrating on landing procedures until five minutes was up and the struts connected with the tarmac. After the all clear, he let himself relax and feel, connecting each burning finger and numb foot to Gordon. This was miniscule in comparison and the need to get to the infirmary grew where there was once stubborn determination to pilot. 

Only, when he stood from the chair, searing pain sliced through his feet and he collapsed with a startled cry. It traveled up his leg and morphed into a burning ache that wouldn't lessen as he tried to right himself. Boots were suddenly too restrictive and gloved fingers clutched at the releases to free himself, but the appendages wouldn't cooperate, still numb from the rescue. 

"John," Scott grunted into his comm, choosing the spacebound brother over the one offloading their charges. 

The astronaut was back a moment after, his eyes wide as he took note of his brother's location, "Scott? What happened?"

"My feet -" he leaned back against the base of the pilot's chair, hands trying to pull off gloves that wouldn't let him grip the release on his boots. "- they burn!" A glove finally fell to the floor, followed by the other and he jammed his fingers into the boot, grateful for the snap as they released and he could pull one foot free. Next came the other, just as quickly. The sock on his right foot came off first and both men let out a sharp curse at the sight of bright red and the slight blue brushing the tips of his toes. Scott's other sock was gone once he recovered from the visible shock only to find his left was in the same predicament as his right, if not worse.

The coolant - or whatever it was - he'd been standing in it for at most fifteen minutes. How could it have done so much damage so quickly?

"Moderate frostbite," now that he could see the problem, Scott could reign in his worries and focus on getting back to his brother's. "Sorry, John. False alarm."

"Get back into the seat and I'll alert Virgil." The redhead instructed with the skepticism of a man who'd heard his big brother brush off major injuries when another brother was in trouble. "He'll come check on you as soon as Gordon's stable."

"He doesn't need -"

"He's going to and you're going to pilot if he clears you," there was no arguing with the tone coming from the small image of John floating in front of him. "Or you can stay in the infirmary with Gordon while I land Thunderbird 2 on the island."

That was not an option either of them wanted to consider. John was a skilled pilot and would easily handle the green behemoth en route to any situation, but landing on a small strip of runway with all of them sitting in the module was not a small task. It rarely happened, anyway, and the lack of experience for the astronaut left Scott's stomach tumbling. 

"Fine," he grunted as he pulled himself into the seat, toes protesting with a fire he couldn't see. Superficial. It was all simply topical and would heal within a week or so. No problem.

The wait wasn't a long one, Virgil appearing behind him as the scientists were guided into the facility. Scott wondered what would come of the crew, torn between feeling grateful for their assistance and furious with their boss for the need of international rescue to respond, once again, to a failed experiment. 

"How's Gordon?" Scott cut in before the engineer could delve into the new situation. It didn't stop the larger man from pivoting the seat and taking hold of one of the offending limbs. 

"Still cold, blood pressure's coming back up, but his breathing's a bit labored," dark brown met blue with the solid impact of the truth. Virgil knew the importance of being straightforward with the commander, no matter how much it would increase the anxiety battling within him. At the same time, Virgil knew just how to calm him, "But he's showing signs of his usual trouble making self. He was all smiles and 'make sure Scott listens' when I left. Where you have stubbornness, Gordon's got durability. The kid'll be okay."

Durable. That was one word for the aquanaut after what he'd been through. How the blonde found the drive to continue still baffled the commander, but whatever it was had to be wearing out. Scott was already planning a sit-down with him to discuss any lingering effects of this particular rescue.

"Ow!" His attention quickly moved from Gordon to Virgil who had started tapping at his toes. "Yeesh, Virgil. A little warning."

"Sorry," a sheepish grin as the second eldest chuckled. "At least you've still got feeling. Feel like staying in the infirmary with Gordon for a day?"

Scott almost balked at the idea, knowing he would be fine to stay in his own room, but the offer was more for the brunette's mental wellbeing. He would have an excuse to hover and make sure Gordon did what was necessary for his recovery. As comfortable as his own bed sounded, his decision was a simple one.

"A day," the brunette tried to sound put out by the offer, but Virgil knew him too well. 

"Right," a grin was still pulling at the engineer's features and he returned Scott's feet to the floor and turned the seat back around. "Easy flying. Let me know if I need to take over, got it?"

"FAB, just focus on Gordon. I'll get us home," the engine was already roaring as the pilot went to request clearance for take off. Virgil left without further argument or warning and Scott felt the urge to get Gordon some medical attention grow. If his immediate younger brother was willing to trust his Thunderbird to a mildly injured pilot, the need for him by the aquanaut's side must be pretty significant. 

The island. Scott could check as soon as they landed and he would be right there for the rest of the day. Gordon was in good hands and safely tucked away in the warmest part of the ship. As Virgil had said, the kid would be okay.

He'd make sure of it.


	5. Chapter 5

They were home. That was one thing he was sure of simply from how the bed felt. Gordon wasn't sure about anything else past that, however, his last memories being that of Virgil leaving to check on someone. He felt he should know who, but everything hurt at that time and still did. 

One step at a time, his mind reached out through his hands and felt them twitch under the constricting blanket that held him to the mattress. He felt the warmth that couldn't quite make it to his bones just yet, but noticed that his trembling had slowed to light shivers. Leg muscles wouldn't cooperate, the aquanaut giving up on trying to move them and instead, focusing on opening his eyes. 

"Hey, kiddo," his father's voice helped greatly and both eyelids peeled back to see the blurry figure standing next to him. A blink and it cleared enough for Gordon to see the gray hair and eyes edged with wrinkles as he smiled. "How are you feeling?"

Answering that question was easy. Getting it past his dry throat and chattering teeth was another matter and he hoped his father could read his hazy thoughts.

"A bit cold, I take it?" 

"A - bit," the rough words alerted the elder man to produce a small cup, setting a straw to Gordon's lips. The water felt warm as it coated his tongue and spilled down his throat. It was a comfort he hadn't expected and was saddened when it left. "Thanks, Dad."

With the cup gone, a hand took its place, carding through his hair with a strength he usually felt from Virgil. Jeff was still smiling down at him, creases running across his forehead - definitely inherited by Scott. "Gave us quite a scare for minute there."

Gordon's brow pinched in confusion, wondering what could have happened between falling asleep in Thunderbird 2 and getting home, "Did somethin' - happen on the - way back?"

His father shook his head, "Nothing more than you being unconscious up until now. No, I'm talking about what happened at the facility." At his continued confusion, the elder man's smile wavered with the sadness in the grey eyes. "Comms were open for most of it. I'm just grateful your brothers were there to rescue you."

Everything that happened when he was trapped in the ice was still so fresh, Gordon didn't need to close his eyes to remember the suffocating darkness that wouldn't allow him an inch. The thought that Dad or Grandma, even Alan, had been listening - it wasn't an experience any of them should have been forced to endure. 

"Sorry," the word slipped out before his brain could register and he grimaced, knowing exactly what his father would say.

"Not your fault, kiddo," his father's hand slipped from his hair to his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze for reassurance. "I don't think I could forgive myself if I hadn't been monitoring and something happened that I could've helped with." A quiet laugh from Jeff broke the tension that had been building in Gordon's chest, "After all this time, I think you boys can handle just about anything. Not sure what I can offer, at this point."

They hadn't had their father back more than a couple months and the eight years that had been lost only showed up when discussing technological advances and policy changes with the GDF and Tracy Inc. Jeff had handled most of it well, asking questions and basically learning on demand. It was ridiculous to think he couldn't be a useful part of their team. 

Gordon's right arm drew out from under the heavy blanket, his shoulder protesting the movement, but his focus was on finding his father's hand. The elder met him halfway, taking the offered grip, weak though it was and amber flashed as a determination set within the aquanaut, "Don't - You could give us a - run for our money - any day." 

His father's smile widened, the sparkle of mischief sitting at its edge, "Yes, I know. You just looked about ready to fall apart. Thought I'd give you something to grab hold of."

Gordon's mouth fell open as he stared at the man as though he'd been mistaken, but the look he received said otherwise. It closed with the continued silence, unsure what to say, but he felt the relief that accompanied his father's intentions. 

"Do you need anything?" Jeff returned his son's arm to the warmth of the blanket before he went back to brushing fingers through the blonde hair in gentle circles. 

A deep breath that shuddered through his chest and he let it out before his very simple answer, "Sunshine would be - ni-nice."

"Ah, that could be arranged once your temperature comes back up. Hopefully in the morning," his father took a step to the side and gestured to the other bed in the infirmary. "You do have some company, though."

Gordon's head shifted to get a good look at the sleeping figure not too far away. So much had gone wrong in less than a day and it was sending his head spinning, "What - happened to Scott?"

"Frostbite, but he'll be okay. He's more worried about you," there was a fondness that Gordon could understand. Scott had stepped up to take care of his family when Jeff disappeared. The elder man had to feel a great level of pride. 

A chuckle found its way through the fatigue and it drew his father back to him, "I'm surprised - he's not hovering."

"Oh, he tried. Virgil gave him some medicine for the pain in his feet. After the day you three had, he was out as soon as it kicked in," his father seemed amused by a memory Gordon didn't share. "Virgil should be back in a few hours. Your grandma sent him up to bed after he fell asleep in the chair."

"Mmm - sounds about right," he knew how many times big brothers had been ushered out of the infirmary, himself included. They didn't like being far from an injured sibling if they could help it. "Where's Al-"

As if speaking the teens name could magically produce him, Alan stepped into the room, his arms laden with tech and snacks, "Hey, Gordo! You're awake!" The supplies were abandoned on the end of his bed as the younger blonde took up the spot on Gordon's other side. "How are you feeling?"

There was a power in little brother's that could produce strength that hadn't been there before and Gordon found himself grinning, "Eh - just a little chilly. Nothin' to it."

Alan gave him a skeptical glare before returning to the pile on his bed and pulling out a tablet, "Thought you might like some entertainment if you're gonna be stuck here for a while."

"Yes, please," he didn't hide the eagerness for the distraction. The aquanaut didn't want to be left with his thoughts and memories. It was still too soon and since his incident with the chaos crew, Alan had picked up on the need for time before he could have an appropriate discussion. 

The two youngest Tracys quickly succumbed to the draw of movies they'd seen too many times to count, Gordon giving their father a cursory glance midway through an action flick and saw the content smile on the elder man's face. A sense of deja vu struck him and he found he couldn't let it pass, wondering when anything like this could've happened since their father came home. There was nothing - not recently, anyway - but there had been times when they were kids, when Scott was in the Air Force and Virgil was off at college, Gordon and Alan would drag their father away from work to have a movie night. John would even tear himself away from studying as long as he approved of the movie selection. 

It hit him a second later. This was one of the last clear memories he had of his father. Movie night, a call for assistance, and then Dad was gone. 

"You okay, kiddo?" It was whispered as a gentle brush of his father's thumb removed an arrant tear from his cheek. 

Gordon hastily cleared his throat, trying to gesture to the action sequence playing in front of them, "It's just a - really good movie."

He couldn't look at his father for fear of losing himself to the waterworks that threatened to spill, but Gordon could imagine the raised brow and tilted smile that said his father knew otherwise, "Sure it is.” A warm hand on his shoulder and he steady himself. Everything was okay now - besides the hypothermia and muscle pain. Dad was home and they were just watching a show. 

It was a perfect cap to a less than perfect day.

The next time Gordon awoke, however, his heart nearly stopped. The room was dark and the warmth was gone. His hands tried to lift, but there was a weight on them that held firm. Panic flared and he fought against the hold, legs kicking out, or trying to, but he was trapped. 

"Help -" came out as a choked whisper that no one would hear. There was no answering call from the darkness and he felt himself lose his breath to the fear. He couldn't be back there - not there.

He tried to scream, the sound of his voice echoing around him.

And then the weight was gone and someone was holding his shoulders, lifting him from the consuming void. 

Sounds filtered in, "Wake up -"

Eyes shot open and the light that hit Gordon was disorienting, forcing them closed again. He'd seen it, though. The infirmary and his brother. Virgil was there, pulling him up from the mattress and into an embrace as soft sobs broke away from the blonde.

"I've got you," his brother soothed and Gordon curled into the larger form, hands grasping at the red plaid. 

For too long a moment, he couldn't catch his breath, the nightmare still too vivid, his nerves screaming at him to move. The hand on his back began a slow circuit over the frozen muscles and it was the soft brush of the old scars that let him suck in a deep lungful, physically deflating into the protection of his big brother. 

"You with me, Fish?" The concern in Virgil's voice was usually reserved for the field, when Gordon's rescues took a drastic turn and left the engineer helplessly waiting for a response.

Gordon was always happy to oblige when the situation allowed. Right now, it was just finding his voice. When he couldn't, the blonde's head bobbed in the affirmative. 

To be the larger of the two, Virgil was incredibly gentle as he pushed his brother back to get a better view. Gordon looked up at the dark brown eyes that assessed him and suddenly felt stupid for falling apart.

"Jus' a dream," the blonde finally relented with a sheepish grin that fell the moment it lifted. 

Virgil's features softened sympathetically, "Seemed more like a nightmare, Gordo."

"Yeah - guess I'll be having plenty of those for a while," he grimaced at the thought of having to endure them. It wasn't a new experience, by any means, but life would be so much easier without another way for sleep to torment him.

"We could always implement Fort Tracy, if you want?" 

Amber eyes grew wide as he regarded his brother, "You're serious?"

"I wouldn't offer if I wasn't," a dark brow rose with a smile.

Fort Tracy was a relic of their younger days, when big brothers would construct rickety structures from chairs, blankets, and cables tied to banisters. Their uses had started after Alan broke his arm on the playground and needed cheering up. After that, the structures became a weekly routine that grew more elaborate each time. After the loss of their father, however, the activity dwindled dramatically to the point only Gordon and Alan would build it in a half-hearted attempt at normalcy while their brothers dealt with school and Tracy industries. Scott and Virgil maintained international rescue to the best of their abilities, but that had left Fort Tracy on the sidelines. Eventually, the two youngest gave up on trying and turned their attention to what they would need to do to follow in their brothers' footsteps.

Right now, though, with the lingering feelings of his icy prison and the nightmare still working its way to the back of his mind, Fort Tracy seemed like the perfect solution. 

Gordon grinned up at his brother, "That would be great."

A quick nod and Virgil was laying him back down, "Alright, then. You get some rest and I'll have Grandma come sit with you."

"I don't need -"

"Yes, you do," the medic interrupted with a stern glare. "Your body's still dealing with the hypothermia and I don't think you want to handle any more of those nightmares on your own, right?" 

He didn't, but if he didn't go to sleep, then he'd be fine. The yawn that followed that thought quickly shut it down and the knowing look he received said he wasn't getting out of having an extra pair of eyes watching him. At least it was Grandma. She tended to tell the best - sometimes embarrassing - stories about older brothers simply to keep his mind off what had happened to him. 

"I guess that's fine," he let the defeat play in his voice as he pulled at the blankets with uncoordinated arms. Virgil just shook his head with a grin, helping adjust the cover until it was tucked under his chin. The action brought old memories with it and Gordon found himself grateful for a family that took care of each other, be they sick, injured, or simply dealing with a bad dream. 

"Don't go anywhere," the medic warned. "Grandma should be down soon."

"With hot cocoa - I was promised cocoa - at some point," a tired, toothy smile followed the raven-haired man to the door.

"See ya in a bit, little brother," and with the farewell, Gordon was alone. 

Alone, the loss of sound was almost deafening and he felt his heart rate begin to increase. The blanket was suddenly too restrictive, where a minute ago it had been a desire for warmth. It was flung with great effort off of his chest until both limbs were free and he collapsed breathlessly into the pillow once more. 

It was a start - his body free of the restraints and chest settling - but it left him shivering again and fighting the need to pull it back up. Turning his head, Gordon hoped to find the other bed still occupied, but it seemed Scott had been cleared to leave. 

A pang of loss fluttered through his chest as he realized how much he missed his big brother's presence. Scott had stayed with him for the entirety of his ordeal and now that he was gone, the aquanaut felt it - a hole that shouldn't be upsetting him as much as it was.

Fingers dug into the blanket, Gordon aware that his thoughts were getting away from him, but today had been too much - alone too long. He hadn't been aware he was holding his breath until the door slid open and his grandmother stepped inside. The rush of air out and back in the his lungs startled them both, Grandma recovering much quicker and making it to the side of the bed with a concerned expression behind her glasses. 

"Gordon, what's wrong?" Her hand found his arm, a frown growing on her face as she took the covers and pulled them back over his chest. "You really need to keep this on."

The shivering had returned, whether from the cold or the unruly emotions - both seemed likely - and he fought to keep his voice steady. "I know, just - makes me feel trapped."

Lines of experience softened as she smoothed the cover before pushing back the hair that had fallen over his brow, "I'm sorry, kiddo. I wish there was something I could do to help."

He knew exactly what would help, "Keep me c-company. Any good stories?"

A smile took over and the mischief was unmistakable, "Plenty. Anyone you want in particular?"

Gordon shook his head, taking in another deliberate breath as his nerves continued to send shivers through his body, "You pick."

With a nod, she pulled over a chair, getting comfortable before reaching under the blanket to take the hand closest to her. Gordon felt the reassuring squeeze and he happily returned it, settling into the pillow to listen. He really didn't care what it was about or if he'd heard it before. Right now, he was just happy to feel the warmth of his grandmother's hand and know he wasn't alone.

"Well, then, have I ever told you about the time your father was arrested for skinny dipping in the quarry?"

"No," his eyes went wide with intrigue. "No you have not."

Her smile grew with his.


	6. Chapter 6

Walking hurt. 

He wasn't supposed to be walking, but Scott had a lot on his mind and sitting in his room was doing little to ease his frustrations. His only saving grace was that his room was closest to the elevator. The trip to the lounge was met with disapproving glares from John and their father who had been mid debrief on the information the astronaut had already given him. 

Now, sitting more comfortably on one of the lounge sofas, Scott watched the anger grow on Jeff's face.

"The investor wanted the coolant? For what purpose?" That had been Scott's question, as well, considering the company who'd contracted Fischler was fairly reputable. They had multiple facilities around the world already looking for new, innovative ways to improve the planet. It had seemed so foreign to think they would even consider the scientist with his disastrous track record.

"Their reasoning was to offer a safe way of shutting down the facility in case of an overload," John continued, floating just above the table. He had yet to come down, too intent on finding the culprits who had almost gotten their brother killed. "The coolant was supposed to freeze the ring and the surrounding ocean, rendering it useless."

"They wanted it destroyed?" Their father growled. "What company would invest in something and willingly add a feature that would lose them the entire endeavor? It doesn't make any sense." 

"It doesn't," John echoed. "I had Lady Penelope look into it and she's found a few connections to the company that have been under investigation."

"Investigation for what?" Scott couldn't help interjecting as the new information was provided. The desire to find who was responsible for the disaster was ever growing.

"Potential connections to the Hood."

The solid impact of that news shook the room into silence, all knowing that the Hood was still behind bars. If this had been deliberate - a trap set by individuals still working under the villain's thumb - what else could he do to hurt their family? Most of all, though, was there enough proof to do anything about it.

"Until the authorities can find anything concrete, we can't be certain," his space-bound brother continued with a hint of frustration. It was going to be difficult relying on others to find something that could be detrimental to bringing the Hood's network down for good. "I'll let you know if anything flags."

"Thanks, son," Jeff offered before running his hands over his face. Scott watched the anger flicker under a control gained by years of solitude. There was no point voicing what they were both feeling, instead, funneling the rage into their next steps. John would provide those steps when they arose. For now, they would work to keep their family safe. 

Before the hologram could disconnect, a chime echoed from Scott's pocket. The three of them regarded each other for a moment before he retrieved his phone, activating the message that flashed over its screen. The words were few and simple, but the meaning held more than he expected, a tightness growing in his chest as he read them again. 

"Scott?" Their father asked as he stood from behind the desk.

The phone was gone, tucked back in his pocket, the pilot pushing himself to his feet with renewed purpose, suppressing a wince as the ache in his feet reminded him as to why he shouldn't be walking. He latched onto the intense aquamarine gaze, offering a small smile before he spoke, "John, how soon can you come down to the island?"

A blink, the astronaut processing the question, "What's the situation?" 

Scott smiled, for once ready to offer some relief from the stress the family was dealing with, "Virgil's got a construction project he needs our help with. We can get the auxiliary hub set up if you need to monitor from here."

Ginger brows furrowed and the eldest knew there would be some choice words if he didn't elaborate. Jeff's voice overrode the response, however, their father's curiosity taking charge, "What kind of construction project?"

The commander's smile grew, "A fort."

OoOoOoO

"Scotty!" Gordon beamed from the bed as his eldest brother stepped into the infirmary. Surprisingly, this was the first time he'd seen the man conscious since they had rescued him, something the aquanaut wasn't used to. Scott was typically in his periphery until the pilot was certain his little brother would survive. After this particular incident, Gordon had been eager to see the brother who'd stayed with him through the roughest of it.

"Hey, Squirt," Scott greeted from the entry before turning to regard their grandmother. She had a much different expression on her face that spoke of trouble with a capital S. "Virg sent me for a check up."

"I'm sure he did," Grandma eyed him skeptically, but allowed the brunette to take the infirmary bed next to Gordon's. He watched as the bandages around his brother's feet were carefully removed, revealing the reddened skin underneath. It looked painful and he suspected it was by the way Scott tensed with the cleaning and administration of fresh ointment and bandages. 

Once she had finished, Gordon felt his chest tighten with shared pain, "That can't feel great."

In perfect big brother fashion, Scott shrugged, sliding off the bed to take the few steps over to his. As he sat on the edge, his hand found the tussled mess of blonde bangs and did little to help with their disheveled nature. "I've had worse," a dimpled grin that said he knew Gordon was well aware of his past injuries. "How are you feeling?"

"Mmm - like I've been through about a hundred training sessions with Kayo - in a freezer," the blonde gave a tired smile, "but better - definitely better."

"That's good to hear," and there was a thick emotion coating the words as blue eyes caught his gaze with a slight glissen of unshed tears. "Scared the hell outta me, Gords - second time in a year."

He couldn't find a response. They'd had this conversation before - about risk and skills, about how he'd done everything he could have, it wasn't his fault. Gordon had rocked the family two fold that day and now they had their dad back. This time seemed different, though, and a question forced its way up, "Anything good come from this one?"

An apologetic smile answered and he deflated into the pillow with a slightly less hopeful grin, "Sorry, Squirt, Fischler's company is still alive and active - for the time being. However, Lady Penelope has found some interesting information that may help."

The smile was back, fueled by something other than the optimistic news, "Of course, she did." 

"Hey, so Virgil has been working on something," Scott segued, shaking off the emotions from a moment ago. 

"Ah, so you're not just here for Grandma to torture your feet?" Gordon's broad grin was quelled by a stern glare from the woman in question. 

"No, that was actually necessary, but it gave me the honor of dragging you to the lounge," the brunette's mood seemed to be much higher than Gordon was used to and he almost questioned it. 

Almost.

If he were being honest, his big brother had been carrying himself with a bit more energy than he had before their trip to save their father. Now that they had him back, it appeared Scott was benefiting from more than just an extra family member. He was happy. They all were, but Scott had been filling the role of brother, father, leader for so long. With one less hat to wear, his shoulders didn't have to hold as much. 

So, instead, Gordon pulled his arms from the warmth of the blanket and held them out towards the pilot, "Drag away, Scotty."

"I don't think so, young man," Grandma was back, this time with a dreaded piece of equipment that sent a groan from both men. "It's this or you stay right there, kiddo. Scott's in no condition to carry you and your body still hasn't recovered enough to have you trapesing upstairs on your own."

Gordon eyed the hover chair with disgust, but the memory of Virgil's promise still sat in his brain, telling him to suck it up and go. It would be worth it. 

"Okay, okay, I'll use it - begrudgingly," he pouted, pulling an amused smile from Scott who seemed pleased to not have to physically support his little brother.

"Wouldn't expect anything less than pure hatred, but hey, heated seats," Grandma caught his eye and there might have been a flutter of interest, quickly crushed by old memories of the device. 

"Alright, let's go then," pushing at the blankets, Gordon soon found his limbs were growing angry and he took a moment to let them sink back into the mattress. Scott obligingly pulled the covers the rest of the way off, but in doing so, introduced the aquanaut to the great difference in temperatures between his blanket and the room around him. "Ah - why's it so cold in here?"

No one answered and he realized the answer was too obvious - hypothermia sucked. His feet swung over the edge first, muscles stiff from immobility and abuse and he found himself clinging to the bed as he stood. Gordon hadn't anticipated how much his body would scream at him for doing anything other than laying down. A warm hand on his back and fingers that caught his arm, Grandma was right by his side, Scott coming around the bed to help position the chair. He felt pathetic as he limped the first step and stopped, clinging to the mattress and shivering in the cold. 

"Doing okay, kid?" Grandma's voice was gentle, her fingers pressing into his arm. 

"Yeah, just - needed a second," another step and he was already by the chair. Gordon slid into it and instantly felt the heat radiate up his back and through his legs. "Okay, heated seats - totally worth it."

The knowing smile he received from both individuals helped to ease some of the previous tension at having to be confined to the chair. Scott pulled his blanket from the bed and covered him with it, the comfort coming from more than just the fabric as his hair was ruffled once more before the pilot took charge and steered him towards the door.

"So, you guys really built a fort? Like, not just a bunch of pillows, but a real fort?" The aquanaut asked as they made their way towards the elevator. It was a bit surreal, thinking back to the previous structures that hadn't been made in so many years. 

"Of course we did," Scott scoffed. "You know how Virgil's promises work."

Of course he did. He'd been on the receiving end of many of those promises, most of which were for revenge against a number of pranks. The engineer was pretty creative when it came to devices for retribution. Then there were the times when Gordon was too exhausted after a mission, Virgil would promise to take care of the post-flight checks so his little brother could go crash for a few hours. Afterwords, there would be food in the form of his favorite snacks, especially when rescues wore at more than just their physical energy. Virgil's promises were always fulfilled with extra. 

Fort Tracy had been no different.

Gordon wasn't sure what to expect. The forts he remembered would be far too small and cramped to fit a group of full grown brothers, the structures designated to one of the two youngests' rooms. They would typically fill them with stuffed animals and games, leaving little room for anything or anyone else. What he found when he emerged from the hall and into the living room was far above anything he could have imagined. 

The room was shadowed with the clouds of a late afternoon storm, the only source of light coming from strings of Christmas lights strung from the balcony and over a cord stretching the length of the room. Blankets of differing colors and patterns hung from the strings, dulling the bright colors beneath them. All of this enclosed the lounge in a tent that shifted and waved with air circulating within. 

"Ready to go inside?" Virgil appeared from the stairwell leading to the kitchen, a tray of snacks balanced in one hand, the other offering to help him out of the chair.

"How long did it take to get all this up?" The blonde stated in awe, letting his two eldest brothers take an arm as they led him to the steps.

"Not long at all!" Alan appeared with a burst of fabric, pushing open the flap designated for entry, a large grin on his face. This was as much a treat for the young astronaut as it was for Gordon. "I can't believe we haven't done this more often! It's so cool in here!"

Gordon grinned at the enthusiasm, his fingers clinging to his blanket as he took a step down. With each one, the aches lessened to something more manageable and he only needed Alan's support as he entered the fort. 

"John?" It came out a squeak of surprise at seeing the red-head tucked into a corner with a hologram floating in front of him. 

Turquoise flicked away from the readouts and a genuine smile brightened his brother's face, "Gordon. Good to see you up."

"Good to see you down," his grin mimicked the astronaut's before he found a pillow-laden sofa with his name - and an array of plush sea life - all over it. "Oh yeah, way better than the infirmary."

"It's not complete yet," Virgil explained having relinquished the tray of snacks to an eager youngest brother. Gordon watched his co-pilot grab a tablet from the table, activating the holocomm on the center console The thought of a movie or rerun would fit the mold for the perfect fort sleepover, but that's not what appeared. 

Instead, the room took on a bright blue hue, beams of sunlight shining through the 'water'. Fish that glittered like gemstones swam through the air, disappearing and reappearing through the cloth walls as they sought out safe places amongst a chunk of coral reef. 

"Whoa," the exclamation slipped from Alan, the blonde obviously just as taken aback as the aquanaut. 

"How -" was all he could manage, unable to tear his eyes from the oceanscape.

"I had a camera feed set up on the reef," Virgil spoke as he shifted to another view of the structure and Gordon was suddenly floored by recognition. "It was supposed to be your Christmas present, but I guess now's as good a time as any."

"These - this is," amber grew wide as a parrot fish floated past, a healed scar over its side giving proof to what he'd already figured out. "That's Henry!"

"Henry?" Scott chuckled, sliding onto the couch next to him.

"Remember the fish I spent weeks trying to treat in the cove?" His big brother nodded. "That's him! I moved him to the synthetic reef for better protection. Virg, this is -" and his voice couldn't overcome the drastic shift in emotions. 

"Glad you like it, Fish," Virgil gave that warm smile that was typically offered to victims after a rescue. They all had a smile, but rarely was he subjected to this one and the way it set him deeper into the cloud of pillows, stress leaching from tired muscles. His big brother was a walking sedative when he wanted to be. 

Scott settled in a bit more by his side, feet propped on the table. Alan, way too awake and full of excited energy leapt over them, barely grazing the makeshift roof and following the second eldest outside.

It was an odd feeling to be here again, stuck on the couch while the world moved around him. Gordon found he could smile a little easier this time, knowing the extent of his injuries would only have him grounded for a week or two at most. No depending on Max for transport or a stint of physical therapy in Auckland that took way too long for his liking. Plus -

"You all look comfy," their father poked his head in through the fort's doorway, grey eyes twinkling red, blue, and green in the Christmas lights. 

Gordon's grin grew wide, "You coming to join us?"

A shake of his head and Jeff chuckled, "Oh, no. This is all you and your brothers. Always has been." 

There was a dull stab of pain in his chest at their father's words. It had been a tradition, up until they lost him. Jeff wouldn't know this was the first time it had been done since. 

Gordon's smile didn't falter, however, not willing to give up the joy all this was bringing him, "Your loss, old man." 

That earned a surprised laugh, "Well, this old man's going to go enjoy an actual bed. You boys get some sleep."

"FAB, Dad," Scott called with his own smile.

"Night, Dad," Gordon returned his gaze to the ocean around him after their father's departure. 

Alan and Virgil returned moments later, arms laden with more pillows and ottomans that were positioned just under his legs that were unable to match the lankiness of Scott's. More blankets found their way on top of him before Gordon was offered any of the refreshments - specifically a mug adorned with a great white in glasses and the words "Jaw ready for this?". Inside was the hot cocoa of legend and he sipped it appreciatively.

For a moment, it was almost overwhelming. The space was cramped and he could barely get an arm out to take an offered sandwich. He should've felt trapped -

But then, a glance to his sides and all he saw were brothers ready to make sure he was safe. The feelings weren't the same as they had been in the infirmary - or in the ice. 

It shouldn't have surprised anyone when, a few minutes later, food and drink forgotten, Gordon's eyes slid shut, head resting on his big brother's shoulder. A movie still played and brothers continued to talk about developments that would have interested the aquanaut. That information could wait. Right now, Gordon was oblivious. Lost to exhaustion and dreams. At least he knew there would be brother's on the other side of nightmares, ready to pull him free if the need arose. 

He was safe. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ending on the fluff! Hope y'all enjoyed this! It's been nice trying to focus back on writing after playing so much animal crossing x.x (which I still play if anyone wants come visit my island XD)
> 
> Thanks so much for all the comments and kudos! Love you guys!


End file.
